Measuring in-service teacher self-efficacy for teaching computational thinking: development and validation of the T-STEM CT

Education and Information Technologies · 2021 · 33 citations

• Mathematics education
• Psychology
• Social psychology

The Relationship of Gender, Experiential, and Psychological Factors to Achievement in Computer Science

2020 · 30 citations

• Computer Science
• Social Science
• Psychology

Computer science (CS) is widely recognized as a field with a significant gender gap despite the growing prevalence of computing. Several factors including CS attitudes, exposure to CS, experience with computer programming, and confidence in using computers are understood to be correlated with the low participation of women in CS. These factors also play an important role in students' interest in CS careers and are particularly crucial during secondary school. However, there is a dearth of research that examines differences in how these factors are inter-correlated for younger students (ages 11-13). The purpose of this study was to generate and test a statistical model that demonstrates the inter-correlation amongst these factors with respect to gender. A total of 260 middle school students participated in this study. Four instruments measuring students' CS attitudes, confidence in using computers, CS conceptual understanding, and prior experience with CS-related activities were used. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypothesized model. The findings showed that previous participation in CS-related activities had a significant direct effect on CS attitudes and confidence in using computers, but the effect on students' CS conceptual understanding was indirect. We also found that in a female specific model, previous participation had a significantly stronger direct effect on CS attitudes compared to its effect in a male specific model. The importance of providing more CS-related experience, especially to female students, as well as suggestions on activities that promote gender equity in the field are discussed.

Computing Across Curricula: The View Of Industry Leaders

2020 · 8 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Knowledge management

With the aim of preparing students for pervasive, advanced computing in the workplace,

Graphic Literacy In Elementary Science Education: Enhancing Inquiry, Engineering Problem Solving, And Reasoning Skills

2020 · 9 citations

• Computer Science
• Mathematics education
• Computer Science

The demand for high quality science and engineering graduates continues to outstrip supply. The response must be a science and engineering education pedagogy that considers multiple modes of learning and teaching tailored to the various grade levels. Graphic literacy, the use of visual representations and their offspring including but not limited to pictures, models, graphs and other visual symbols can enhance K-12 scientific and engineering inquiry and problem-solving skills. The Grade 5 Motion and Design STC curriculum is one of several science units where technology and engineering concepts are introduced as part of the science inquiry cycle. The challenge is to identify and support student meaning-making and reasoning through the use of graphics and other support documentation. Over the past year the research team have been working with teachers to enhance the use of student-generated graphics. This study provides insight into the process of improving graphic pedagogy by leveraging semiotic analysis of student notebooks, in-class observations and ongoing support, the introduction of graphic tools (e.g., graphic taxonomy and master images), and formative assessment strategies to facilitate student science and technology learning. It is not enough to create representations; students must work through and revisit their graphics in context of the inquiry and problem solving cycle.

The Effects of Worked Examples on CAD Performance: An Application of the Four-Component Instructional Design Model to CAD Instruction

2020 · 5 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Multimedia

Abstract The Effects of Worked Examples on CAD Performance: An Application of the Four-Component Instructional Design Model to CAD Instruction This presentation discusses enhancements to current instructional practices forengineering graphics and constraint-based modeling courses taught at the collegiate leveland introduces a novel application of an instructional design framework directed towardsthe design and dissemination of interactive CAD tutorials. With the adoption of onlinelearning management systems (e.g., Blackboard™, Moodle™, etc.) designed to supportblended (hybrid) learning environments, students are held more accountable for theirindependent learning and engage in less face-to-face instructional time with theirprofessors. Because of this, it has become evident that new pedagogical approaches toCAD instruction need to be developed. Several engineering graphics researchers andinstructors have made efforts to accommodate these challenges by designing generalCAD tutorials that attempt to leverage the power of blended learning environments butonly a few of these endeavors have yielded substantial learning gains over time.Conversely, the literature records no efforts to systematically approach these challengesand apply a substantive instructional design framework to CAD instruction. The researchpresented in this paper examines how worked examples in the form of tutorial videos,which demonstrate how solid modeling tasks should be completed, can serve as scaffolds(i.e., learning support). Part of teaching undergraduate engineering students aboutconstraint-based modeling is learning the concept of design intent and how to effectivelyapply it to virtual solid models of engineered parts. However, design intent is a complexand context-specific concept that is hard to convey to students. The Four-ComponentInstructional (4C/ID) Model was used as a potentially powerful framework forstructuring the design and administration of these tutorial videos that focus on modelconstruction and embedding design intent. A total of 120 students enrolled in GC120-Foundations of Engineering Graphicswere divided between control and experimental treatments, with the experimental groupreceiving tutorial videos designed around the 4C/ID model. These two treatment groupswere analyzed for the ways in which the tutorial videos were used to support learningsolid modeling tasks and how this knowledge was subsequently transferred to novel solidmodeling tasks were analyzed in order to determine the best practices for creating andadministering CAD tutorials in hybrid learning environments. Considerations forfurthering the authors’ line of inquiry into constraint-based modeling instruction areaddressed as well.

A Comparison of Two Pair Programming Configurations for Upper Elementary Students

2020 · 35 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Multimedia

As computer science education opportunities for elementary students (grades K-5) are expanding, there is growing interest in using pair programming with these students. However, previous research findings do not fully support its use with younger learners, and some researchers have begun to examine whether introducing a second computer with a shared coding workspace can provide important benefits. This experience report describes a series of classroom activities in the 4th and 5th grades (ages 9-11 years old) with two different pair programming configurations: one-computer pair programming, in which both students share a keyboard, mouse, and monitor; and two-computer pair programming, in which each student has a separate computer but coding workspaces are synchronized over the web. In both cases the students sat next to each other and engaged in face-to-face conversation. We found that students largely preferred two-computer pair programming over one-computer pair programming. We conducted focus groups and transcribed collaborative dialogues to gain more insight into this preference. We learned that students felt more independence in two-computer pair programming, although they struggled with coordinating their edits with their partner. In one-computer pair programming, students reported not wanting to wait for their turn to drive, but feeling as though they communicated more with their partner. Both configurations can be productive for students, but the tradeoffs described in this experience report are important for CS educators and researchers to consider when determining which collaborative configuration to use in each K-5 classroom context.

The Vis Te Project: Visualization For Improved Technological And Scientific Literacy

2020 · 10 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Engineering management

Visualization in Technology Education (VisTE) is a standards-based initiative designed to promote the use of graphic visualization among grade 8-12 students to improve their higher order thinking, communication skills, and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics. By using simple and complex visualization tools, students can conduct research, analyze, solve problems, and communicate major topics identified in the new ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy (STL) as well as topics aligned with national mathematics and science standards. Unfortunately, rigorously tested instructional materials to support such activities do not yet exist. Over three years, the project team will develop 12 discrete units. Units will encompass areas such as biotechnology, medical technology, communications, transportation, power & energy, and construction. While the curriculum is not developed for the post-secondary level, it is expected to have an impact on the students' understanding of key technologies and their ability to apply graphic communication tools in the exploration and conveyance of technology and engineering concepts. This presentation will provide an overview of the project.

Constraint Based, Three Dimensional Solid Modeling In An Introductory Engineering Graphics Course: Re Examining The Curriculum

2020 · 37 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Mathematics education

The content of engineering graphics courses has remained the same for many decades. When three-dimensional modeling became available, many educators considered the new technology a novelty. Industry, however, realized the potential of using the 3D model as the center of the design process, deriving from it drawings, documentation, and other technical information instead of seeing it as an end in and of itself. If educators are to prepare able practitioners to accompany this change in industry, the current curriculum content must be re-evaluated. The Graphic Communications Program at North Carolina State University is exploring ways to better prepare students by examining the content of the introductory courses in an effort to determine core concepts that adhere to a solid modeling-based curriculum. During the spring 2001 semester, a pilot study was conducted in an introductory engineering graphics course using a proposed alternative curriculum focused on constraint-based, 3D solid modeling. This paper will introduce a rationale for the proposed curriculum, and outline the main topics of the curriculum.

Multimodal Goal Recognition in Open-World Digital Games

Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment · 2017 · 35 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence

Recent years have seen a growing interest in player modeling to create player-adaptive digital games. As a core player-modeling task, goal recognition aims to recognize players’ latent, high-level intentions in a non-invasive fashion to deliver goal-driven, tailored game experiences. This paper reports on an investigation of multimodal data streams that provide rich evidence about players’ goals. Two data streams, game event traces and player gaze traces, are utilized to devise goal recognition models from a corpus collected from an open-world serious game for science education. Empirical evaluations of 140 players’ trace data suggest that multimodal LSTM-based goal recognition models outperform competitive baselines, including unimodal LSTMs as well as multimodal and unimodal CRFs, with respect to predictive accuracy and early prediction. The results demonstrate that player gaze traces have the potential to significantly enhance goal recognition models’ performance.